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Sadly I have just been informed that the event below has been cancelled, however see the links below to find out about Wasteland the inspiring documentary by Vik Muniz and the Living Furniture Project in their new showroom/cafe in 22-26 Farringdon Lane. Please see our feed on the right hand column of the blog for more info on upcoming events. I will also be posting more on the London Design Festival for the next two weeks.

Next Monday, 16 September, there will be a screening of the award winning documentary Wasteland, as part of London Design Week. The film surrounds a landfill in Rio, Brazil and the lives of those that live and work on the site, while artist Vik Muniz creates art using discarded objects he finds among the rubbish.

Michael Aaron Williams, a young American artist from Knoxville, Tennessee, has created art from discarded materials.

Found series 1 by Michael Aaron – on old railroad ties.

He uses the materials he has found as a canvas to create intense and almost disturbing portraits. The organic and decomposing state of the pieces adds to the raw visual effect while also showing the beautiful transformation the artist has achieved.

Found series 2 by Michael Aaron – on old rusty sheet metal

Michael Aaron seeks to save materials from their fate and repurpose them, making them into something that is valued and appreciated.

“These pieces are done on things that have been found on the side of the road, railroad tracks and in old barns. Basically it is about using something that would have deteriorated over time if left where it was and taking them into the studio and making something beautiful out of them.”

Found series 3 by Michael Aaron – sheet metal

He does not only experiment with different materials, but also different techniques in composing his work. The piece below has been created using a process of burning the wood rather than painting it.

Found series 4 by Michael Aaron – burnt onto old barn wood

Each portrait is simple yet captivating and very real, showing the artists ability to capture human emotion.

Found series 5 by Michael Aaron – this one is on an old wrecked up carhood

Like this:

Chinese art collective Made In Company (Xu Zhen) have produced a rather unsightly yet inconspicuous art installation on display in Vancouver, Canada. Outside the downtown Shangri-La Hotel, lies a large rectangle of rubble. However these are no ordinary remnants from a demolition site.

When you step on the surface amid all the debris and broken bricks, the ground begins to wobble bouncing up and down like a giant water bed. The installation titled Calm signifies the the inert reaction that follows a violent event while also, rather playfully challenging the onlookers perception of reality.

“Calm alludes to the stillness that follows a disaster, while simultaneously embodying the threat of latent and imminent danger that precedes a proverbial storm. The piece’s ambiguity questions ways of observing, believing and understanding facts, reminding us that truth is not always what it seems.”

Like this:

American artist Jeremy Underwood has transformed Houston’s waterways to showcase his sculptures made from discarded materials.

The project titled “Human Debris” reflects both the visual and environmental impact of people and urbanisation on the natural world. Underwood describes his work as a reinterpretation of the waste materials left behind “Human Debris is a commentary on what humans leave in the natural landscape.”

In his hometown of Houston, Underwood focused on reinventing these unwanted materials into something beautiful, while making a statement about the volume of waste channelled into these natural landscapes.

“The project spotlights the environmental condition of Houston’s waterways through the building of site-specific sculptures assembled out of harvested debris collected from the beach.”

Through this project he has made a bold statement about recycling and sustainability, he has not only highlighted the amount of waste left by humans, but he has also shown the value and versatility of these objects. “Each found material lends itself to a new creation, encompassing the former life of the debris into each sculpture.”

“These objects are simply artifacts to support the work, photographed in interaction with the landscape, then left to be discovered.”

Through his work he seek to challenge viewers to “reflect upon our consumer culture, the relationship we have with our environment, and the pervasion of pollution.”